Mustafa gets new city club Top Yard off to a winning start

Mustafa Rafiq got new city boxing club Top Yard School of Boxing off to a flying start at the weekend.

Top Yard was formed six months ago by former Focus Amateur Boxing Club star Hamad Javed and Rafiq had the honour of representing the club in their first competitive contest.

Mustafa Rafiq with his trophy.

That was at a show in Colchester on Saturday night and Rafiq was a unanimous points winner against home fighter Louis Hudson to register Top Yard’s first victory.

Javed said: “It was a tough fight and it was Mustafa’s work rate which helped him to win.

“He was naturally very nervous going into the bout but he soon found his feet in the second round and picked off his shots a lot better.

“Mustafa needed to win the third round to make sure of the decision and he did so by applying extra pressure and taking advantage of his opponent’s tiredness. We’re hoping there’s a lot more from him to come in the next few months.”

The club has 11 registered boxers and five are expected to be in action at a show in Birmingham this weekend.

Javed set up the club in premises in Brassey Close, New England, thanks to help from Peterborough City Council and the support of sponsors Car City, Sugar Rush, Bennetts Insurance, Children of Adam, Anglia Laundry Ltd, Furniture Point, Unite 4 Humanity and Panjtani Carpets.

Javed added: “We’ve had a great response from the local community and we have up to 120 people using our gym for boxing circuit training on a weekly basis.

“We’re hoping to build on this project by offering women’s only classes soon which there seems to be a lot of demand for.”

The club has a coaching team of seven men, all with amateur boxing experience. They are Hamad Javed, Ballal Javed, Majid Romane, Andy Hutchins, Shujah Saklain, Omar Shaheen and Waqqas.

The club hold boxing circuit sessions on Mondays (6-7pm for 11-17 year olds, 7-8pm for 18 plus); Wednesdays (6-7pm for 11-17 year olds, 7-8pm for 18 plus) and Fridays (6.30pm to 7.30pm for 6-10 year olds).

JUNIOR FIGHTER OF THE NIGHT

Promising young Paston boxer Ben Burton, who fights for the Kettering School of Boxing, was in excellent form at his club’s last show of the season at Kettering Athletic Club.

The 12 year-old stylist used his silky skills to win on points against Jamie Cox from Marston and he also picked up the best junior fighter of the night trophy.